Jail supervisor resigns; faces charge from another county

Published: Friday, December 28, 2012 at 11:49 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, December 28, 2012 at 11:49 a.m.

A supervisor at the Marion County Jail resigned Friday after the Orange County State Attorney’s Office said she would receive a summons to appear in court for a second-degree misdemeanor charge of filing harassing phone calls.

A Marion County Sheriff’s Office internal affairs report notes that on Oct. 10, Steplight-Jones told Capt. Clint Bowen, the jail’s assistant bureau chief, that she had been contacted by an Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigator because a telephone number traced to her account had come up in an allegations of harassing phone calls made to a woman in their area.

Steplight-Jones reportedly admitted making the calls and told the investigator she had stopped calling the woman. The investigator told her she would be filing a report.

The next day, the Orange County investigator informed the Marion County Sheriff’s Office that her investigation had been completed and the case was being forwarded to their State Attorney’s Office for a review on whether or not a charge would be made.

On Oct. 12, Steplight-Jones was suspended with pay pending the outcome of the review.

On Dec. 26, Marion County Jail investigator Meyer Carter was informed by the Orange County State Attorney’s Office that Steplight-Jones would receive a summons to appear in court for arraignment.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office report states that on May 25, a woman told a deputy someone called her number 31 times, threatening and cursing her, and said it had been an ongoing problem since March.

While she was talking with the deputy, the woman twice received a call from the anonymous number. The voice was female.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigator assigned to the case was able to get the first name of the caller, identified as Rhonda.

The investigator’s report states that Steplight-Jones made 118 calls from her home, personal cellphone and department-issued cellphone from Jan. 25 through July 18.

A review of Steplight-Jones’ department-issued phone by Carter showed 26 calls, 12 of which were made while she was working. None of the calls made went beyond a minute in length.

On Nov. 1, Steplight-Jones reportedly told Bowen she called the woman from the three numbers, but denied making any threats. She said she did not realize she was violating the department’s code of conduct.

Steplight-Jones’ personnel files shows that she was hired by the Sheriff’s Office in January 1994 and left in April 1997. She returned on Oct. 26, 1998. Her annual salary at the time of her resignation was $50,756.55. She has received good reviews and accommodations.

Steplight-Jones was arrested for domestic battery in August 2003 by the Ocala Police Department. The state decided not to file charges, but she was suspended without pay for 40 hours.

Steplight-Jones could not be reached Friday for comment.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.

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